The effect of violence on depression symptoms among students studying at Dokuz Eylül University tinaztepe campus

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: Depression is an important public health problem and is the most common psychiatric disorder among university students. At the same time, students are at risk for violence in this period. Violence has many negative consequences such as physical damage, infectious diseases, depression, smoking, alcohol, drug abuse. The aim of the study is to determine the prevalence of depression symptoms and the effect of violence on depression symptoms among students studying at Dokuz Eylül University Tınaztepe Campus. METHOD: This is a cross-sectional study. The population of the research is 2621 second grade undergraduate students in Dokuz Eylül University Tınaztepe Campus. The sample size was calculated as 670 with 80% power, 95% confidence level, 20% prevalence of depression symptoms, 4% margin of error and 2.0 design effect. Stratified cluster sampling method was used for sample selection. Each department was accepted as a cluster and stratified according to faculties and then departments were determined by simple random method. Dependent variable is presence of symptom of depression evaluated with Beck Depression Scale. The main independent variable is the presence of violence. Other independent variables are sociodemographic characteristics, student achievement and satisfaction, addictive characteristics, health status, childhood violence and social support. The participants completed the questionnaire themselves in the classroom under the observation of the researcher. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 24.0. Descriptive findings are presented as numbers, percentages, mean ± standard deviation and median (minimum-maximum value). The relationship between independent variables and dependent variable was evaluated with chi-square, Fisher's Exact Test and Mann Whitney U test and logistic regression analysis was used as multivariate analysis. Statistical significance level was accepted as p <0.05. RESULTS: 547 people were reached in the research. The prevalence of depression among university students is 24.7%. In the last year, 11.9% of the students have been subjected to physical violence, 39.9% to emotional violence, 16.5% to sexual violence, 18.1% to persistent follow-up and to any type of violence 54.7%. The rate of applying to any institution due to violence is very low. Living in a large family, low level of mother and father education, poor economic status, working, poor success, not being satisfied with the city and department, frequent alcohol use, the presence of individuals with mental illness in the family, in childhood and in the last year exposure to violence significantly increases the presence of symptoms of depression. On the other hand, presence of perceived social support is significantly protective from depression symptoms. In logistic regression analysis, in last year exposure to any type of violence (OR=6.661, p<0.001, 95% CI=3.593-12.349), emotional violence (OR=4.680, p<0.001, 95%CI =2.734-8.012), sexual violence (OR=2.010, p = 0.028, 95%CI =1.076-3.755) and persistent follow-up (OR=2.433, p=0.005, 95%CI=1.312-4.511) increases the presence symptoms of depression. CONCLUSION: In this study, the prevalence of depression symptoms was found to be high in university students. Violence is common in both sexes and increases the presence of symptoms of depression. The rate of students applying to any institution due to violence is very low. Social support for students should be increased, preventive mental health services should be expanded and there should be centers within the university where students can get support when they are exposed to violence KEYWORDS: Depression symptom, violence, student, university